Review: MyBusinessWorks Credit Focus

If you have a Barclays business account, you might have been told about MyBusinessWorks and Credit Focus. The two products offer a package of benefits to Barclays customers, such as credit checking, in return for a subscription fee.

In this review, we’ll look at how Credit Focus works. We used the application from January 2012 until November 2012.

What is Credit Focus?

It allows you to check creditworthiness, monitor changes in credit scoring and engage a solicitor if you see a problem with a client’s payment history. You can also then send a letter.

Credit checks are free and unlimited in return for the monthly subscription fee.

Over time, we have changed the way we use Credit Focus. We used to use it retrospectively, which wasn’t very effective. By the time we realised there was a serious problem, it was normally too late to do anything.

Now, check anyone who we extend credit. If a client isn’t being entirely truthful with us, we can decide whether to continue working with them.

Usability

Although I think Credit Focus is a potentially powerful service, it’s really not that user friendly. The layout really lets it down.

For example:

Businesses can use Credit Focus logos on their stationery, but when the user goes to the download page to grab one, they’re not there. In fact, half the screen is hidden until you click a checkbox that you have to scroll down to find.

On the main UI, there are no controls on the main interface.

The graphs you get are fine, but the display isn’t customisable.

The tabs across the top (not visible here) are the same colour as the background until clicked.

All the boxes in each screen can be collapsed, but for no reason – you can’t move the boxes around or remove them from view.

At the top of the page, there’s a rambling and fairly meaningless statement that takes up two lines for no apparent reason.

In-app Help

This bit of the review is easy: there isn’t any help in the application.

There’s a link to a PDF of help content, but all of the Credit Focus tool-tips are very non-specific. This is a bit of a problem when the layout is poor.

For example, have a look at the top left: it appears to say ‘Experian credit score 71: Below average’. Actually, it means that the score is 71 and the risk level is below average.

Legal Tools in Credit Focus

If you want to engage a solicitor through the application, you complete details for a draft letter which the solicitors print and sign.

It works in the same way as the LegalManager software in MyBusinessWorks, except that the fields in the preview letter don’t update as you’re filling in the details – unlike LegalManager where you can actually see what’s happening. This is a bit confusing, and had me wondering if it was actually working. When I came to the last screen, I was surprised not to see some kind of preview of my finished letter.

Our final reminder reminds the client that we retain copyright for work until it’s paid for, but there’s nowhere for me to add this on the letter. I also want to specify additional fees and charges, but I can’t see anywhere to do that.

Is Credit Focus Worth Paying For?

Credit Focus is handy, but could be so much better. The cloud is a competitive marketplace, and I just don’t think Credit Focus can cut it next to more sophisticated alternatives.

I would find it easier to understand and interpret the data if the help was more comprehensive. Also, more thought could be put into how different panels are arranged.

I wish we could customise the layout and tweak the solicitor’s letter – or at least see it before we commit to sending it out.

Having said that, if you’re struggling with unpaid invoices, Credit Focus will arm you with knowledge you may not otherwise have, and that can help you to collect bad debts more effectively.

Red Robot Media Ltd

03301200113

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